• Anthropic launched Claude Opus 4.5, calling it its most advanced and intelligent AI model to date.
• Claude Opus 4.5 excels at generating code, spreadsheets, and workplace documents for users.
• Anthropic is seeking new funding from Google, potentially raising its valuation to $350 billion.

Anthropic is once again raising the bar in the AI race.

On Monday, the company unveiled Claude Opus 4.5, which it calls its most advanced AI model yet, just three months after its previous release.

Anthropic says the latest version delivers major improvements in generating computer code and workplace documents, such as Excel spreadsheets and PowerPoint presentations. It also includes new capabilities for creating more sophisticated, long-running AI agents.

"It's the most intelligent model in the world for the things that we really care about," Alex Albert, Anthropic's head of developer relations, told Business Insider.

The launch completes the Claude 4.5 family, following recent updates to the Sonnet and Haiku models. Opus models are built for advanced reasoning and complex problem-solving, while Sonnet and Haiku are optimized for speed and efficiency. It also comes a week after Google debuted its Gemini 3 model.

Anthropic's Claude models are primarily designed for business users. A July report from Menlo Ventures found that Anthropic now leads in enterprise AI adoption, capturing 32% of the market. That puts it ahead of OpenAI, which holds 25%—about half of its share from two years ago. Google followed with 20%, and Meta came in fourth at 9%. (Menlo Ventures is an investor in Anthropic).

While Albert declined to make direct comparisons to competitors, he said Opus 4.5 was designed for the "hardest tasks" and the "most intelligence-demanding experiences." The model, for instance, can now generate spreadsheets of "expert human-level quality" similar to those used by financial analysts, he said.

Anthropic said the new model scored higher than Google Gemini 3 Pro and OpenAI's GPT 5.1 on SWE-Bench Verified, the popular coding evaluation test set.

"The theme is operating at a very high velocity right now and continuing to put out the best models we can," Albert said.

Google did not respond to a request for comment from Business Insider on the performance of Gemini 3 Pro on SWE-Bench Verified compared to Opus.

Last week, Anthropic unveiled plans to spend $30 billion to secure access to Nvidia chips through Microsoft's cloud platform. As part of the arrangement, Nvidia committed up to $10 billion in investments in Anthropic, while Microsoft pledged as much as $5 billion. The deal has fueled concerns about circular investments among AI companies that could artificially inflate valuations.

Anthropic is in talks to raise new funding from Google, a deal that could value the company at $350 billion, Business Insider previously reported. That would more than double its $138 billion valuation from September, when it raised $13 billion.

Have a tip? Contact this reporter via email at ekim@businessinsider.com or Signal, Telegram, or WhatsApp at 650-942-3061. Use a personal email address, a nonwork WiFi network, and a nonwork device; here's our guide to sharing information securely.

• Former Stripe and Pinterest HR leader Rachel Lockett said there's a key question managers should ask about employees.
• Lockett's question: "Would you enthusiastically rehire this person for the same role?"
• "You have an immediate reaction that is honest to that question that provides clarity," she said on "Lenny's Podcast."

Did you hire the right talent? For HR pro Rachel Lockett, it comes down to one question.

Lockett worked as an HR leader at major tech companies, including Stripe and Pinterest, before founding her own executive coaching consultancy. On a recent episode of "Lenny's Podcast," Lockett gave a peek behind the curtain for her talent strategy.

It's difficult for managers to accept that their talent is underperforming, Lockett said. She suggests asking: "Would you enthusiastically rehire this person for the same role?"

Lockett always asked that question at Stripe, she said.

"When the answer is no to that, no matter how many difficult conversations you have, this is not going to work," she said.

The question is clarifying, she said, because it is a binary choice.

"Even engaging in the hard conversation and seeing what happens can lead you to the clarity that you need to take action on talent that's not working," Lockett said.

As tech companies strive for "talent density," they can employ various methods to determine whether their teams have the desired makeup — and whether talent should stay.

Lockett's question is reminiscent of Netflix's famous "keeper test." It's evolved over the years, but it asks Netflix managers to consistently ask themselves: "If X wanted to leave, would I fight to keep them?" or, "Knowing everything I know today, would I hire X again?" If the answer is no, the employee is given "generous severance" and cut so that a stronger replacement could be found.

Meta looked for so-called "low performers." Mark Zuckerberg laid off some 4,000 employees in February to "make sure we have the best people on our teams." Microsoft took a similar strategy, cutting nearly 2,000 employees who were deemed low performers.

Host Lenny Rachitsky chimed in to say that a "no" to Lockett's question doesn't always mean employees should be exited on the spot. There are other methods to address performance, he said.

"It could be, talk to them about it, put them on a performance plan, put them in a different role," Rachitsky said. "It doesn't mean you have to fire them immediately."

Lockett responded by saying that the size of the business mattered, too. "In quickly scaling businesses, it's natural that the leadership team's job will change, and that you'll have to make some evolution over time," she said.

While a performance improvement plan may be preferable to termination, employees have come to dread them. In Big Tech, PIPs took on a new name: "quiet layoffs."

Part of the question's appeal is its directness, Lockett said.

"You have an immediate reaction that is honest to that question that provides clarity," she said.

• Trump's spending bill removed the requirement of partial financial hardship to enroll in income-based repayment plans.
• It would open up the plan to those with higher payments or those enrolled in plans that are being eliminated.
• The Education Department said that the change could go into effect in December 2025.

A barrier to enrollment for a key student-loan repayment plan could soon be gone.

The Department of Education said in updated guidance posted to Federal Student Aid's website that it's moving forward with implementing some student-loan repayment provisions in President Donald Trump's "big beautiful" spending legislation.

The latest update pertains to the eligibility requirements for income-based repayment plans. Prior to Trump's spending legislation, IBR plans, which give borrowers monthly payments based on their incomes with forgiveness after 20 or 25 years, had to demonstrate partial financial hardship. It required that a borrower's monthly payment based on their income is less than the amount needed to pay off their full balance over a 10-year period.

That means borrowers with higher income-based payments, along with those on other repayment plans that the department is eliminating, would be eligible for IBR. Federal Student Aid's website said in its latest update that it anticipates the change will be completed in December 2025.

Borrowers who didn't have partial financial hardship and applied for IBR could get relief soon.

"In the meantime, servicers will hold IBR applications that would otherwise be denied," the guidance said. "Servicers will process those applications after the system changes are completed. We encourage borrowers who applied for the IBR Plan and were denied due to lack of partial financial hardship before we instructed servicers to hold these applications to reapply."

IBR plans give borrowers monthly payments based on their incomes with the promise of forgiveness after 20 or 25 years, depending on when they first took out the loan. The plans have been a source of contention over the past few months. Following a lawsuit filed by the American Federation of Teachers, which accused the department of delaying IBR application processing, the department agreed to continue processing forgiveness for those who reached the payment threshold.

Some borrowers who reached the payment threshold previously told Business Insider that their balances have been zeroed out.

The department is also working to implement other key repayment changes in Trump's spending legislation. It recently concluded negotiations on the repayment plan overhaul, which included replacing existing income-driven repayment plans with two options and placing new borrowing caps on graduate and professional loans.

These changes are happening as the administration moves forward with its efforts to dismantle the Department of Education. On November 18, the department announced that it is moving a series of programs to other federal agencies, including childcare programs and international education. While the announcement did not address federal student aid, some Democratic lawmakers said they're concerned about the impact of gutting the agency on student-loan borrowers.

Sen. Elizabeth Warren on Monday called on the department's Office of the Inspector General to examine "how ED's dismantling may have led to insufficient federal oversight of the student loan servicers responsible for providing critical customer service to borrowers."

• Russia has been launching jet-powered drones and guided bombs in attacks against Ukraine.
• Senior Ukrainian officials said that the weapons are being used to test Kyiv, with changing tactics.
• While they pose a threat to air defenses, they are not being employed in large numbers.

Russia is using high-speed drones and guided glide bombs powered by jet engines to strike Ukraine, leaving defenders with very little time to react.

Senior Ukrainian officials told Business Insider that Russian tactics appear to be evolving with the introduction of these jet-powered weapons, testing Kyiv's response, but for now, they are being used in limited numbers.

"I believe the enemy is testing our defenses and our countermeasures against these new systems to assess whether mass production is worth pursuing," said Lt. Col. Yurii Myronenko, Ukraine's deputy minister of defense for innovation.

The Geran-3, a Russian drone modeled after Iran's Shahed-238, first showed up in Ukraine early this year and has been involved in attacks over the past few months.

The long-range drone is equipped with a turbojet engine, allowing it to travel at speeds of up to 230 miles per hour. This drone is a more advanced version of the propeller-driven Geran-2, although both are designed to carry explosive warheads, dive at their targets, and detonate on impact.

Myronenko, a former drone unit commander, said that the jet-powered Shaheds have been used alongside propeller-driven strike and decoy drones in multiple large-scale Russian attacks this fall.

"For now, the enemy is employing them in limited numbers," he said, though he noted that one recent attack featured only jet-powered Shaheds — as many as 10 of them — and no propeller-driven drones at all, pointing to a potential evolution in Russian attacks.

The Ukrainian military's communications department told Business Insider that several large-scale Russian attacks have featured jet-powered drones, but only very few of them, explaining that what the country is seeing right now "cannot be called massive use."

Mykhailo Fedorov, the first deputy prime minister of Ukraine and minister of digital transformation, suggested that Russia is struggling to mass-produce its jet-powered drones.

"It's still a small-enough number," he said, speaking through a translator. "They're iterating, they're testing, they're changing their tactics."

Russia's defense ministry and its US embassy did not immediately respond to a request for comment on its jet-powered weapons and their use in Ukraine.

Glide bombs with more range

The Ukrainian military said that Russia is also periodically using jet-powered guided glide bombs against Ukraine, but not in large numbers, similar to the Geran-3 drones.

"Isolated launches of guided glide bombs with an increased flight range are observed in various areas of the front," the military said, without getting into specifics.

Glide bombs are dumb bombs equipped with special kits that turn them into precision-guided munitions. These weapons can be launched from Russian jets at a standoff range beyond the reach of Ukraine's air defenses. They have small radar signatures, non-ballistic trajectories, and short flight times, making them notoriously difficult to intercept.

Reports began to emerge last month that Russia had been using glide bombs with turbojet engines to attack Ukraine. Myronenko described the situation as "complicated."

"This significantly expands the geography of enemy attacks," he explained. "We do have countermeasures against these bombs, but they do not always result in interception, and the longer the range, the greater the threat to civilians."

The Ukrainian military said some Russian attacks have been intercepted by antiaircraft weapons, including missile systems, as well as jets and helicopters.

Electronic warfare also works in some cases, though Ukraine's HUR military intelligence agency said in September that the Geran-3 was built with jamming-resistant technology.

Fedorov said that Ukraine is looking into jet-powered interceptor drones to respond to the Geran-3 threat, adding that this technology is in the research and development phase. Ukraine has heavily invested in interceptor drones as a cost-effective means of defending against propeller-driven strike drones.

The tradeoffs of weapons design

Russia's growing use of jet-powered weapons is part of a "strategy to impose costs on Ukrainian air defenses," said Patrycja Bazylczyk, an associate director and associate fellow with the Missile Defense Project at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

Propeller-driven drones can be destroyed by truck-mounted machine guns, as mobile Ukrainian air defense units have been doing for years, but these jet-powered drones, with their increased speed, make targeting and interception more difficult, she told Business Insider.

Meanwhile, the jet-powered glide bombs, with their extended range, allow Russian planes to strike from greater distances well beyond the reach of Ukraine's air defenses, which are already struggling to counter glide bomb threats.

Jet-powered drones and bombs, however, aren't without their issues.

"Weapons design involves many tradeoffs," Bazylczyk explained. "Opting for a jet engine prioritizes speed, reducing defender reaction times. But it'll cost you: these jet-powered Shaheds are pricier and have shorter range than propeller-powered counterparts."

Myronenko said Russia might be constrained in its ability to purchase the jet engines, which are more expensive and less readily available. He said Moscow's ability to acquire the technology depends on the willingness of other countries to supply it.

While Ukraine has confirmed an overall uptick in the use of Russian jet-powered weapons, their impact on the battlefield and beyond remains to be seen, especially if the warhead size remains the same.

"Slapping a jet engine on a Shahed does not really change the weapon's effect," Bazylczyk said. "Just because you strap a motor to a bicycle doesn't make it a Harley—it's just an electric bike."

• I made Ina Garten's recipe for brown-butter skillet corn bread. 
• It was deliciously moist, with the perfect combination of sweet and savory flavors. 
• The corn bread was a hit at Friendsgiving years ago. Now I make the dish for every Thanksgiving.

With the help of Ina Garten's cookbooks, I've turned from a ramen-burning amateur to someone who can serve pasta dishes that her friends will actually eat. 

So, when I decided to cook a few dishes for Friendsgiving, there was no question that the "Barefoot Contessa" star would be my source of inspiration.

As a huge pasta lover, I knew I had to test Garten's recipe for overnight mac and cheese. And I'm a firm believer that no Thanksgiving table is complete without carbs, so I also made her Parmesan smashed potatoes. 

That already seemed like plenty. But when I stumbled on a photo of Garten's brown-butter skillet corn bread, I knew I had to add it to the menu. 

Ina Garten's brown-butter skillet corn bread is a bonus recipe in the reissue of her first cookbook.

I found the corn bread recipe while leafing through the republished version of "The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook," which originally came out in 1999, and knew it'd be perfect for Friendsgiving. 

In the description of the dish, Garten says she was inspired by The New York Times' Melissa Clark's corn bread with brown butter. 

"Since I can't pass up any recipe for corn bread, I decided to test mine with brown butter too," Garten writes. "Best corn bread I've ever made!" 

That was all I needed to hear — time to get baking! 

Garten's brown-butter skillet corn bread needs only a few basic ingredients.

To make Garten's corn bread, which serves 10 to 12 people, you'll need: 

• 3 cups of all-purpose flour
• 2 cups of whole milk 
• 1 cup of fine cornmeal (Garten says this makes moister corn bread than medium grind)
• 1 cup of sugar 
• ½ pound of unsalted butter 
• 2 extra-large eggs, lightly beaten 
• 2 tablespoons of baking powder 

I began by melting my butter in a 10-inch cast-iron skillet over medium heat.

I continued to heat the butter until it became browned but not burned, listening to Garten's advice to "watch it very carefully!" 

Once the butter was ready, I poured it into a medium bowl and added my milk.

I whisked the milk into the butter, according to Garten's recipe. 

Then, I cracked my two eggs into the bowl.

I have to admit, I forgot to lightly beat the eggs together before throwing them into the mixture — but it didn't seem to affect the corn bread in any way. 

I added my dry ingredients to a separate bowl.

I added the flour, sugar, and cornmeal, as well as the baking powder and some kosher salt. 

I whisked all the dry ingredients together, then made a well in the middle.

Barely five minutes had passed, and my batter was almost ready. 

Then, I poured the butter and milk mixture into the well.

Per Garten's instructions, I stirred everything together with a rubber spatula until it was just combined. The "Barefoot Contessa" star notes that it's OK if the batter looks a little lumpy. 

My batter was almost ready! But first, it needed to rest a little (so relatable).

Garten's recipe calls for the batter to sit for 15 minutes. She said this step is essential to getting the best corn bread possible, so don't try to skip it.

Once the 15 minutes were up, I poured my batter into the skillet.

Make sure you don't wipe out your cast-iron skillet after melting the butter. Just throw the batter right in! 

I smoothed the top, sprinkled it with sea salt, and threw the cast-iron skillet into the oven.

Garten's recipe says to bake the corn bread for 35 to 40 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit. After 35 minutes, I stuck a knife in the middle, and it came out clean, so I knew it was ready. 

One thing to note: If you're using an 11 ½-inch skillet, Garten recommends baking your corn bread for only 25 to 30 minutes. 

My corn bread came out a gorgeous golden brown.

Garten's brown-butter skillet corn bread definitely makes for a gorgeous centerpiece at the Thanksgiving table (we all know no one really cares about the turkey). 

But would it taste as good as it looked? 

You could feel how moist the corn bread was just by cutting into it. Everyone at the table agreed it was one of the best they had ever tasted.

I could write an essay on how much I love this corn bread. It was so moist and fluffy, with the sweet and savory elements working together in perfect harmony. We were all stuffed, but everyone at the table couldn't resist getting seconds of the bread. 

"The salt really brought out all the flavors," my friend Oliver said. "10/10, would recommend." 

"So delicious," my fellow taste tester Kayla added. "The outside had a nice salty and crunchy texture, while the inside was moist and sweet." 

I love Garten's corn bread. Now I make it for every Thanksgiving.

There's no doubt in my mind that Garten's brown-butter skillet corn bread was the star of Friendsgiving. It was perfectly baked and still tasted just as moist when we ate leftovers on the second and third days.

And for a novice cook like me who never bakes, I couldn't believe how easy and foolproof it was to make. Seeing that corn bread come out of the oven, so beautiful and golden, made me feel like I was about to get a Paul Hollywood handshake.   

Garten's recipe has won a permanent spot in my holiday cooking repertoire. 

More Americans in their 20s, 30s, and 40s are getting diagnosed with cancer. These are people juggling careers, young families, and a brutal economy.

While some of that rise can be explained by lifestyle changes, that doesn't tell the whole story.

We've spent the past year digging into this — talking with dozens of patients, caregivers, doctors, researchers, and economists to understand what's happening, what it's costing people, and what can actually help.

Scroll down to explore our reporting project, The True Cost of Young Cancer. Our video and six stories delve into the most pressing aspects of this trend, from the unique financial challenges to the patchwork of fertility laws that young patients face.

But first, here are six of the best tips we gleaned throughout our reporting. The system isn't built for patients under 50. Still, there are some things you can focus on to protect yourself in a world where the causes are complex and the costs are high.

1. Understand what's driving the trend

Cancer diagnoses in people under 50 are rising sharply.

Standard advice still focuses on personal habits — eat better, move more — but the science shows it's not just about lifestyle.

2. How to protect yourself — realistically

Prevention isn't one-size-fits-all — and it's not entirely in your hands. The "exposome" (a word scientists use to describe the total mix of environmental exposures affecting our health) shapes risk as much as diet does.

Still, there are some things you can do to reduce your risk of an early cancer diagnosis.

3. When to push for screening, even if you're 'too young'

Colon cancer is the fastest-rising cancer among young adults.

Still, many younger patients are told to "wait until 45" for a colonoscopy, even when symptoms or family history suggest otherwise.

The same questions apply for other types of cancer.

If you're 45 or older and denied coverage for a colonoscopy, appeal — the screening age was officially lowered in 2021.

If a procedure isn't urgent, waiting for prior authorization from your health insurance company can help prevent unexpected bills later.

4. Keep track and trust your instincts

Many early diagnoses start with someone noticing something "off." Younger patients are often dismissed or misdiagnosed.

5. Ask the money questions early

Treatment can drain savings even for the insured. Costs often hit before patients realize they can negotiate or get help.

Navigators are professionals who guide you through appointments, insurance paperwork, and financial aid. Many people told us patient navigator programs were the single most helpful resource in managing both cancer treatment and stress.

They can also help you find clinical trials that cover newer, "experimental" treatments like immunotherapy — sometimes with travel or lodging support.

If your hospital offers one, ask to be connected early. If not, ask awareness groups where you can find one.

6. Build your support network

No one should have to face the physical, financial, or emotional toll of cancer alone.

Read the reporting

• Racquel Oden has worked in global banking for over two decades.
• Some of the advice she gives family and friends is to focus on retirement as soon as possible.
• She also says to prioritize investments over student loan debt and CDs over regular savings accounts.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Racquel Oden, US head of wealth and private banking at HSBC. It has been edited for length and clarity.

I've worked in global banking for HSBC, JPMorgan Chase & Co., Merril Lynch, and many more. Over the years, I've given my clients plenty of advice on saving, budgeting, investing, retirement, and financial planning.

When it comes to my family and friends, the most important financial advice I give them is to start putting away money as soon as possible.

You're never too young to start saving or investing — and there are many things that even Generation Z could be doing now to help themselves reach their financial goals, whether that's saving up for a down payment for a house, a dream trip abroad, a lavish wedding, or even an early retirement.

If you're working, you should be focused on retirement and your personal savings

I know it sounds far away, but you should always be saving for retirement by paying into your 401(k).

Simultaneously, you should also be getting to the point where you have enough in your personal savings account to support your living expenses for the next six months in case you happen to lose your job for whatever reason. This money is what I call short-term cash on hand, what you can use to pay your basic needs — things like your apartment rent, car payments, grocery bills, etc.

You're ready to invest once you have more than short-term cash on hand

I think for a lot of young investors, they're unsure of when to start investing. We often think, "I need to have all this money to invest."

I want to take that stigma away. Any amount of money will work better for you in money markets than in a savings account, which doesn't provide much or any interest. Once you have more than short-term cash on hand, you can create another account in preparation for investing.

Create a financial plan with the help of a financial advisor

What's great about sitting down with a financial advisor is that most banks do not initially charge for this service.

Making a plan is a point of entry into investing, and it's a comfortable one because you get to sit down and ask yourself, "What do I want to achieve with my finances? Do I want to buy a home, plan a wedding, or take that next big trip?" With this plan, you can think beyond just retirement.

I encourage people to think of their lives in terms of different buckets — for example, saving for a house can be one bucket. Each of these buckets or larger financial goals has a different time horizon. Creating a larger financial plan can help you understand the timeframes for each goal better and remove some of the anxiety around investing.

Always seek out accurate financial resources and screen out the non-factual ones

We like watching TikTok and surfing Instagram, but do yourself a favor and ground yourself with the basics before you look through those places.

Reach out to traditional resources, like financial advisors at your bank. You can follow social influencers for some things, but not for something as crucial as your finances. Become comfortable with the traditional sources of this info, like banks — it doesn't mean you ultimately have to pick them or choose their services.

You can shop around and find the right financial advisor for you.

Make your money work for you

Checking and savings accounts are the lowest interest-bearing accounts out there, right now. Short-term vehicles like CDs, or Certificate of Deposit, a type of savings account that earns a fixed interest rate, can be better options than a regular savings account.

CDs can be a great option, allowing you to make a short investment of, say, nine months or so and earn an interest of 4% in some cases. But you must remember these interest rates are always changing, so stay on top of them.

Prioritize investing and savings over paying off your student loan debt

I encourage clients to, of course, pay their minimum monthly payment that's due. But the concept of paying off student loan debt should not be something you're concerned about because having cash on hand — and making sure your cash is working for you — is the smarter way.

However, if your cash is just sitting in checking accounts, not collecting interest, then pay off the student loan because, in this case, your money is not working for you. You are not gaining any yield on your cash sitting in a checking account. However, lowering debt does bring up your credit score, so this is also something to think about.

Do you have a story to share about financial planning? If so, please reach out to the editor, Manseen Logan, at mlogan@businessinsider.com.